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Klaff Tanning question:
By
Rabbi Eli Gutnick
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I received this question via email. I am not really a klaf expert, I was wondering if anyone could answer this question: Dear Rabbi Gutnick, I am writing to you because a good friend of mine has put the idea into my head that the klaf in my tefillin were not really tanned and therefore are not kosher. He referred me to Megilla 19a re diftera. From the research that I have done so far, it seems that the klaf that is used today is tanned only with a lime wash. On all of the tanning websites I’ve seen so far, they say that the lime doesn’t accomplish tanning but only the removal of the hair and some other pre-tanning effects. Would you be able to explain to me or refer me to a website that explains how the tanning process that is used today takes the hide out of the category of diftera? Thank you very much.
Rabbi Reuvain Mendlowitz clarifies his position on Ksav Chabad (and my final thoughts)
By
Rabbi Eli Gutnick
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Last week I posted some thoughts in response to a public lecture given by Rabbi Reuvain Mendlowitz regarding Ksav Chabad (the Alter Rebbe's ksav). I felt he did not represent the issue fairly, and since I had received questions about it from a number of people I felt it made sense to write a general response. After I posted my response on this forum, Rabbi Mendlowitz reached out to me by email and we ended up having a respectful and productive email exchange regarding the relevant issues surrounding Ksav Chabad. His position is a lot clearer to me now, and I think he also took certain things on board that I clarified with him. The purpose of the Stam Forum (at least back in it's heyday before all the whats app groups took over) was to connect sofrim from around the world, to promote achdus and build bridges, as well as to offer support and advice. In that spirit, I felt I should write a follow up post, to clarify some of the issues and misconception...
If the mezuzah belongs to a Chabad adherent you could fix by adding a corner to the first rosh (it would be a very delicate operation).
ReplyDeleteOutside Chabad (ie those who wouldn't rely on th T"T it would likely be a lost case.
From the picture it looks like a "safek kav mashuch b'shaveh", which many, including R' Y.M. Stern, are noheig to allow fixing by being m'tzareif the Mikdash M'at who allows adding heads on yudin of letters shelo k'sidran.
ReplyDeleteThere are different types of safek kav moshuch. If it just gets thicker and doesn't have a small but noticable blita, it would fit into the catagory of nisrachev klapei maala behadroga. I don't have Rav Sterns sefer handy but I'm pretty sure he says you can't fix that.
DeleteIn this picture (at least the way I see it on my phone) you only see a semblance of a blita when you blow it up. Looking at it normally you don't see a blita, it just gets thicker. And furthermore, it looks like roshem anyway, not ink. I would be very surprised if Rav Friedlander wouldn't passel it.
OK, now I'm looking at it on my PC and I must admit at first glance it there is a blita muetes. (Previously, on my phone, it wasn't noticeable unless I enlarged it significantly.
ReplyDeleteTherefore I think its obvious that this shailo must be seen in real life and normal size to 1) determine properly if it is indeed blita muetes or nisrachev klapei maaloh, and 2) If the left part is roshem or dyo (looks like a mix).
I still think in my experience it depends on who the customer is, since Chabad poskim (based on the Tzemach Tzedek) seem to allow fixing even when it is nisrachev klapei maalo behadrogo.
I'd appreciate very much if reb Yerachmiel or anyone could kindly show this shailo to Rav Friedlander...
To explain the difference between the two terms I used above, "blita muetes" and "nisrachev klapei maalo": the former is an small horizontal or even angular protrusion of the head of the letter, but still far from a proper protrusion. The latter is not a protrusion but a widening of the yerech as it goes up (like the shape of an ice cream cone), even if it curves slightly.
ReplyDeleteMy understanding is that this is straight line but has a little ink stain that may be interpreted as a head, the Shaina is is this a Sofer kav mosuch or a plain kav moshuch. I will soon post a scenario where the Shaina is a line with a very slight bend
ReplyDeleteMy understanding is that this is straight line but has a little ink stain that may be interpreted as a head, the Shaina is is this a Sofer kav mosuch or a plain kav moshuch. I will soon post a scenario where the Shaina is a line with a very slight bend
ReplyDeleteIf it looks like a ש its kosher
ReplyDeleteנצי"ב - שו"ת משיב דבר סימן ה
http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=1096&st=&pgnum=10&hilite=